Spring is on its way, yay! After some wild weather days and technical malfunctions, we now have the colourful bunting made in another fabulous Ron Te Kawa workshop with some local (and visiting) wahine, swinging gaily under our verandah at number 2 Mahara Place. 

Our temporary gallery is two doors down from Old Main Road, among a lovely group of cafes, shops and architects, who all been so supportive of us settling in as MAHARA iti. Please tell your friends who may not yet know, that we are open again on weekdays, 10-4, and where to find us. 

Current work in the retail area includes pottery by Harriet Bright and Sophie Perkins, bronze work by Lynne Wakem, jewellery by Rebecca Bond, Erena Wylie and pounamu by Nick Balme. There are fabulous whakapapa quilts on the walls by Hauangi Parata, Whaea Mackie, Sandra Rikihana-Parata, Ihipera Whakataka and national arts treasure, Maungarongo Te Kawa, until 9 September.

We wanted to give an extra shoutout to Alex Rundle-Keswick who has been helping us to keep MAHARA iti open, along with Kate Hartmann, Sandra Smillie and Jan Nimmo. She did extra shifts over recent weeks while we managed staff illness and leave, and is now also supporting our administration work as well. We were sad to lose Tracey Hall, who you can now catch up with 4 days a week in the wonderful Books & Co in Otaki, but are very happy we can support a young person who has volunteered for us for many years, into paid work where she can extend her many skills.

We are opening for a one-off Saturday, from 10 am — 2pm, on 3 September, then offering a one week art book sale from 12–16 September — we hope to see you there!